Samwise NFL Newsletter
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Bears Safety Coby Bryant Out 8-10 Weeks After Knee Injury in First Padded Practice
Chicago Bears safety Coby Bryant, signed to a three-year, $40 million deal this offseason, will miss eight to ten weeks after suffering a hyperextended left knee, bone bruise and small fracture during Monday’s first padded practice of training camp. Bryant was injured during one-on-one drills and was carted off the field before entering the facility. Team doctors determined he does not require surgery, but the injury leaves Chicago’s already-thin safety group shorthanded heading into the preseason. Cam Lewis is expected to slide into the starting role until Bryant returns. The Bears are hoping to have their new safety back before the midpoint of the regular season.
Sources: CBS Sports
Mike Evans Misses Monday’s 49ers Practice With Quad Strain, Deepening WR Concerns
San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Mike Evans missed Monday’s training camp practice with a quad strain, adding another concern to a receiving corps already stretched thin. Evans, who signed with the 49ers in the offseason, did some work on the sideline during the session but did not participate in team drills. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport described the injury as minor in nature, indicating Evans is someone who does not need the preseason reps. The absence comes just days after San Francisco placed Ricky Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve, leaving the 49ers without their top two projected wideouts.
Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area
Ricky Pearsall Placed on Season-Ending IR; 49ers Sign Deebo Samuel to Fill the Void
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will undergo surgery to repair a lingering PCL injury in his right knee and has been placed on season-ending injured reserve, ending his 2026 campaign before it begins. General manager John Lynch said the knee “declared itself” during training camp after swelling returned, making surgery the only remaining option. Pearsall originally suffered the injury during a Week 4 loss to Jacksonville in 2025 and attempted to play through it the rest of that season. To fill the roster spot, the 49ers signed veteran Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, reuniting the former All-Pro with the franchise.
Sources: CBS Sports
Kyle Shanahan Coaches From the Sideline as 49ers Navigate Camp Without Their Head Coach
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan continues to recover from a July 14 car accident that left him with a broken nose, three broken ribs, an injured hand and a severe concussion requiring more than 40 stitches to his face. Shanahan is participating in training camp activities on a limited basis, with assistant head coach Chris Foerster leading practices alongside the team’s coordinators. Shanahan watches from the sideline and remains involved in film review sessions after practice. General manager John Lynch said the team does not expect Shanahan to miss the regular-season opener and that his recovery timeline, guided by the team’s medical staff, is progressing as hoped.
Sources: CBS Sports
NFL Preseason Opens Thursday With Hall of Fame Game; Kuechly, Fitzgerald, Brees to be Enshrined Saturday
The 2026 NFL preseason kicks off Thursday when the Arizona Cardinals face the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, with an 8 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC. The matchup carries added significance as both franchises send iconic players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be enshrined Saturday, August 8, alongside quarterback Drew Brees, kicker Adam Vinatieri and running back Roger Craig in the Class of 2026. A record 117 Pro Football Hall of Famers are expected to attend Enshrinement Week celebrations in Canton.
Robinson and Gibbs Stage Dual Hold-Ins, Forcing NFL’s Running Back Market Standoff
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Detroit Lions counterpart Jahmyr Gibbs are both holding in at their respective training camps, refusing to participate in practice drills while seeking new contract extensions. Robinson, a 2023 first-round pick, is widely projected to reset the running back market, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport calling negotiations with Atlanta “active” and predicting Robinson will become the highest-paid back in the league. Gibbs, also a 2023 first-rounder, has missed consecutive practices in Detroit while earning just $5.7 million in base salary this season despite his fifth-year option paying $14.3 million in 2027. Head coach Dan Campbell said he is “not sweating it.”
Aaron Rodgers Confirms 2026 Is His Final Season, Set to Play in Steelers Preseason
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has confirmed that 2026 will be his final NFL season, saying there is “zero debate” about returning for 2027. Under new head coach Mike McCarthy, Rodgers is also preparing for a significant preseason change: McCarthy wants him to play in the Steelers’ first two preseason games, something Rodgers has largely avoided since 2018. Rodgers told The Athletic that McCarthy wants him to log 30 to 40 plays, and while Rodgers acknowledged he is not eager to play, he said he will do so if the coach requests it. Pittsburgh opens preseason action August 13 against the Green Bay Packers.
Baker Mayfield to Play 2026 on Expiring Contract After Buccaneers Extension Talks Collapse
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will play out the 2026 season on the final year of his three-year, $100 million contract after extension negotiations with the team broke down. Mayfield openly expressed feeling “disrespected” and “undervalued” following the stalled talks, telling reporters the Buccaneers’ offers did not meet his expectations. The Buccaneers reportedly offered extensions of more than $50 million per year in new money, but disagreement over contract length — the team preferred two years while Mayfield sought a longer-term commitment — prevented a deal. Mayfield carries a $39.975 million cap hit in 2026 and is projected to become a free agent after the season.
Sources: NBC Sports
American Conference Divisions
2026 Regular Season begins Sept. 9 — all teams 0–0
AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills — 0–0–0
2. Miami Dolphins — 0–0–0
3. New England Patriots — 0–0–0
4. New York Jets — 0–0–0
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens — 0–0–0
2. Cincinnati Bengals — 0–0–0
3. Cleveland Browns — 0–0–0
4. Pittsburgh Steelers — 0–0–0
AFC South
1. Houston Texans — 0–0–0
2. Indianapolis Colts — 0–0–0
3. Jacksonville Jaguars — 0–0–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 0–0–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 0–0–0
2. Kansas City Chiefs — 0–0–0
3. Las Vegas Raiders — 0–0–0
4. Los Angeles Chargers — 0–0–0
National Conference Divisions
NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys — 0–0–0
2. New York Giants — 0–0–0
3. Philadelphia Eagles — 0–0–0
4. Washington Commanders — 0–0–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 0–0–0
2. Detroit Lions — 0–0–0
3. Green Bay Packers — 0–0–0
4. Minnesota Vikings — 0–0–0
NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons — 0–0–0
2. Carolina Panthers — 0–0–0
3. New Orleans Saints — 0–0–0
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 0–0–0
NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals — 0–0–0
2. Los Angeles Rams — 0–0–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 0–0–0
4. Seattle Seahawks — 0–0–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency